Low turnout for daughter's party

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The mask thing might deter some, but I’m guessing the fact that you’re probably having it Halloween weekend has more to do with the low attendance.

This. I also live in a very covid lax area and have yet to receive an invitation that mentions masks. It's just assumed there are no masks. But I have a feeling it's more to do with Halloween activities. We have conflicting parties both Saturday and Sunday nights. There's just a lot going on this weekend.

[Anonymous]

Is it on a Saturday? I used to plan parties on Saturdays and realized nobody with older kids than my preschooler would come because, especially in the fall, there are so many Saturday sports going on. Sunday and Friday parties are a better bet.

[Anonymous]

I find this thread confusing.

I would say no to this because you weren’t careful enough covid wise.

Twenty kids plus adults? Too many right now.

No indoor mask requirement for kids? No way.

You should have stuck to three or four to begin with. And please keep it all outside.

[Anonymous]

We have not yet been to an indoor home party since covid.

October has been super busy with sports, fall festivals, Halloween events and yes, birthday parties.

In years past, we have attended birthday parties that were Halloween themed.

We have 3 kids and lots of conflicts. I would decline if it were this Halloween weekend or the past two weekends.

We would attend if it was the first weekend of November. Things seem much tamer then.

[Anonymous]

Normally we send invites 3-4 weeks before the event, welcome parents and sibling, provide a hot meal, have some paid entertainment (bounce-house, clown, magician, pony..).

Yes, 3/20 is quite a poor turnout, BUT, it is a pandemic and if less people want to come, what can you do? You still have to make sure that people are safe.

[Anonymous]

You may also want to include siblings.

[Anonymous]

I’m in Texas and frankly if I’d received your invite I would assume you’re an extremist. No one masks outdoors these days but super political left wing people, and this isn’t DC - most people don’t appreciate that no matter how they align.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a state where COVID restrictions have been super lax (gov put in anti-mask mandate for schools). My kids are in daycare and not required to wear masks. For my daughter's 5th birthday party we invited 20 kids and wrote on the invite that we will try to spend time outside and encourage mask wearing inside for adults. 3/20 kids are coming (when we go to other parties turnout is more like 10-15 kids).

I feel bad for my daughter but also feel like I'm okay if that's the reason why people aren't showing up?

But was I unreasonable in putting that note inside the invite? Was it pointless if the kids are in school together and not wearing masks? My thought was they are in a bubble but the parents don't interact and so asking parents to wear masks inside felt like a good way to prevent the adult to adult transmission when we're not around eachother.

Any ideas for how to make it the best party ever for my daughter?

Lets see... kids in person day care with no masking, indoor large party with 40-80 people. H@LL no!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kids aren’t wearing masks in school? Where are you?

+1. Do you realize how lucky you are?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a state where COVID restrictions have been super lax (gov put in anti-mask mandate for schools). My kids are in daycare and not required to wear masks. For my daughter's 5th birthday party we invited 20 kids and wrote on the invite that we will try to spend time outside and encourage mask wearing inside for adults. 3/20 kids are coming (when we go to other parties turnout is more like 10-15 kids).

I feel bad for my daughter but also feel like I'm okay if that's the reason why people aren't showing up?

But was I unreasonable in putting that note inside the invite? Was it pointless if the kids are in school together and not wearing masks? My thought was they are in a bubble but the parents don't interact and so asking parents to wear masks inside felt like a good way to prevent the adult to adult transmission when we're not around eachother.

Any ideas for how to make it the best party ever for my daughter?

Totally off topic question, but how do you get on DCUM? I feel like I never would have known about this site if I lived anywhere else. Did you used to live here?

[Anonymous]

It’s probably 3 things:
1. Holiday weekend.
2. Flaky rsvp (did all of those other ppl decline?)
3. Masks. Zero interest in masking socially if I don’t have to. So I’d probably only go if we were friends

[Anonymous]

We have not gone to birthday parties since the pandemic began. I feel it's irresponsible to host them when covid rates are high where you live.

[Anonymous]

If you are in a red state, people are pretending Covid doesn't exist. Between that, football on Saturdays, and Halloween weekend, it would mean low attendance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m in Texas and frankly if I’d received your invite I would assume you’re an extremist. No one masks outdoors these days but super political left wing people, and this isn’t DC - most people don’t appreciate that no matter how they align.

OP's note was about indoor masking.

Why are you on this board?

[Anonymous]

It would have been better to insist on keeping the party outdoors and include a rain date if you were concerned about covid.

I think this likely has nothing to do with masking and is about Halloween conflicts.